FAQs

Question

Can I Bring My Kids to the Wedding?

Answer

Unfortunately, no. We love all the kids in our life, but we are planning to have an adults-only ceremony and reception- enjoy a rare "kid free" night out at our celebration! We understand that it may not be possible to arrange for childcare for an entire weekend, so you are welcome to bring your kids with you to NOLA, but we ask that only those who are named on the invitation attend the ceremony and reception. Colleen used to babysit for some extra cash when she was in medical school here and she can help you arrange childcare if you're having trouble.

Question

Can I bring my significant other?

Answer

We made every effort to include the partners of our friends and family, and we understand that it's more fun to celebrate with them by your side. We unfortunately do have a limitation on our head count, so if you did not receive a "plus one", then please do not bring a guest. If you have a specific concern, you're welcome to talk to us individually- if we have cancellations we may be able to accommodate a guest on a case-by-case basis as we get closer to the date.

Question

I have a dietary restriction- what can I eat at the wedding?

Answer

Colleen has a tree-nut allergy and Doug is vegetarian so we hear you when it comes to wanting to make sure there's something you'll be able to eat. We will have a number of food options available with our buffet style dinner so you can pick and choose what works for your dietary needs. We will have nut-free, vegetarian and pescatarian options at the wedding. If you have a more strict dietary restriction, please talk to us ahead of time and we can have our caterer try to make you a specific plate. We've listed a number of restaurant recommendations under the "things to do" tab, and have tried to note vegetarian options when possible.

Question

Where Should I Stay in NOLA?

Answer

Check out the travel page for details! We have a hotel block at Avenue Plaza and the warehouse district Marriott, which are both centrally located. New Orleans is a fairly small city geographically, and you can get almost anywhere in the city in 20 minutes or less (by car). For those who would like to look at Airbnb options, check out the Airbnb lists on the travel page for options close to The Mazant (Venue for welcome party/farewell party) and Audubon Park (Ceremony/Reception Venue). There are also Airbnbs earmarked for large groups (>10 people) for ease of coordination.

Question

How do I know if the Airbnb's on the Recommended Lists Will be nice?

Answer

-All Airbnb's on the recommended lists (on the Travel page): 1) Have at least 4.7 stars (at the time I made the list) with no *meaningful* <5 star reviews. 2)Have central AC 3)Have WiFi 4)Are your own space (may be an apartment or condo but NOT a room in someone's home) Colleen has tried her best to vet the neighborhoods before adding properties to the list to make sure they're in safe/comfortable areas of town. Huge disclaimer though that the location given by Airbnb is just an approximation, so as a scientist this is the one time Colleen is ok with people "doing their own research"- make sure it's the right spot for you!

Question

Why Are You Getting Married in NOLA- I thought you lived in Salt Lake City?

Answer

Please check out the "Why New Orleans" story on our home page for more info! In brief, while Doug and Colleen live in Salt Lake City now, they've both lived all over the country- and Colleen lived in New Orleans for four years during medical school. New Orleans was our favorite option to celebrate with everyone, and it provides a central destination for all of our family and friends who are scattered across both coasts. We can't wait to celebrate here and we hope you'll love the city too!

Question

What could my kids do in NOLA? They're too young for daquiris.

Answer

Colleen first went to NOLA when she was 7 and had a blast! It's a city that people of all ages can enjoy. We've linked some specific recommendations on the "things to do" page, but briefly here are some great "kid friendly" ideas: -visit the children's museum in city park -play at the playground in city park or ride the train -mini golf at city park -older kids might enjoy disc golf at city park -visit Audubon Zoo and check out the urban swamp exhibit -visit the Audubon Aquarium and see divers in the tunnel of fish -go on a real swamp tour -check out the interactive exhibit at the Music Box village -get an ice cream cone at Creole Creamery -have a picnic at The Fly and more!

Question

How do I get to NOLA? I don't travel very often and I'm nervous about making it to the wedding?

Answer

Colleen and Doug travel quite a bit so we're happy to share our expertise! Under the Travel page, we've linked the google flights search for our date for common cities our guests are traveling from, and have highlighted some of the most efficient flight routes. New Orleans is home to a major airport, so air travel is relatively easy here. The airport code you'll want to look up is MSY. Other general travel advice we've gleaned over the years: -If you're considering opening a new credit card anyway, travel-specific ones like the Chase Sapphire, Delta AMEX, or Southwest VISA can help you accrue points throughout the year and you may be able to cash them in for a free flight by the time the wedding rolls around. Colleen accumulated points for four years on her Southwest VISA and paid for all of her residency interview travel in points- it was a great money saver! -If you can map a route through an airline hub, you'll have more options if something goes wrong with a connection. For example, ATL SLC and JFK are Delta hubs, so any of these airports will have a lot of Delta flights to choose from. You can ask chat GPT or google what all the major airline hubs are and find one closest to you! -Make sure to book a route that has at least an hour layover- shorter layovers sound nice but they do put you at risk for missing a connection -For a short trip, packing in a carry on bag can save money on baggage fees, and save a ton of time at the airport on both ends. -Download the airline app so you can keep your boarding pass on your phone and get real-time updates on your flight -Download the FlightAware app- it tracks all air traffic and flight routes. If you get a notification your flight is delayed, it can help to use FlightAware to see more details and decide if you need to rebook

Question

What should I do in NOLA if I don't drink?

Answer

We want all of our guests to be able to enjoy their time here, and while New Orleans is known for great bars and nightlife, there are plenty of activities that non-drinkers can enjoy as well. Colleen lived here as a perpetually-studying medical student four years, and has some great recommendations for activities that don't involve alcohol on the "Things to Do" page. In addition to the "kid friendly" recommendations above, here are a few highlights: -hike the Barataria preserve and learn more about Louisiana wildlife -visit the World War II Museum -visit the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, or any gallery on Julia Street -shop on Magazine Street -kayak or paddleboard on Bayou St Jean -go for a walk or run at the NOLA lakefront, in Audubon Park or City Park -take a streetcar ride uptown and take in a view of the mansions -Take a yoga class with @nolavibeyoga, at Free to Be power yoga, or get a good sweat in at Romney Studios uptown -tour one of the cemeteries -take a haunted tour of the French Quarter -check out the art market near Jackson Square or on Frenchmen Street -listen to the famous Preservation Hall brass band -explore the Voodoo museum -see how parade floats are made at Mardi Gras World -try an alligator hot dog at Dat Dog and more!

Question

How hot is it going to be? I'm stressed about the weather in NOLA in late spring

Answer

It's true, NOLA is a "humid subtropical climate", and after four years of living there, Colleen could usually use her hair to guestimate how humid it was. The weather in the late afternoon (around ceremony time) on our date over the last five years has ranged from 85-92 degrees (F), with (47-65% humidity.) But for some perspective, the weather on the same/similar date this past year for the following cities was: Washington, DC: 87 degrees, 44% humidity Philadelphia: 87 degrees, 42% humidity Boston: 91 degrees, 58% humidity Salt Lake City: 99 degrees, 14% humidity New Orleans is certainly warmer than the north in the fall/winter/early spring (and Colleen loved spending days at the pool in February!), but this time of year, it tends to be pretty warm everywhere. A notable difference is that unlike the west, the temperature won't drop as much when the sun goes down. We will have our ceremony and second line outside (weather permitting!), but we will provide fans and cold beverages to help everyone stay cool. Our reception and welcome party are both indoor/outdoor, with fully air-conditioned indoor space (and NOLA takes AC very seriously!), and well-ventilated outdoor space for those who want to enjoy the summer night!

Question

What if I'm also stressed about it being hurricane season?

Answer

Since 1857, there have been 6 tropical storms and/or hurricanes in the City of New Orleans in the month of June. While climate change is always making predictability difficult, historically speaking, there is about a 0.01% chance of this being an issue. For some perspective, things that are statistically more likely to happen than a June Hurricane in NOLA include: -winning the lottery -getting a hole-in-one at golf -an athlete winning an Olympic gold medal -getting struck by lightning We'll worry about it if we need to, but you should just worry about looking forward to celebrating with us!

Question

What if I'm concerned that the wedding conflicts with Father's Day Weekend?

Answer

We love to celebrate all of the fathers and father figures in our lives, and we understand that this might be an important tradition for families. Colleen is currently in the middle of a research fellowship which allows for flexibility with her schedule, but she will return to full-time clinical work on 7/1/2025. (Most surgical residents work 80h/week in the hospital and do not have weekends off.) Therefore, we wanted to have the wedding before Colleen went back to clinical work. (The episode of Scrubs where Turk misses his own wedding because he's trapped in the OR is a little too real...) As we only got engaged in late March of 2024, this didn't allow for a lot of venue availability in that timeframe, so we did our best to find a date that worked for our needs and our venue's availability- and this date was the best one! We are so honored that you all have made the time to celebrate with us, and here are some ideas for how to celebrate Father's Day as well! 1) Celebrate Dad in NOLA: New Orleans is a great place to celebrate- whether you're the type who likes sazerac, a great brunch, a swamp tour, or a new tie with beignets on it from NOLA Couture! 2)Take an early flight out on Sunday- while we're sad you'll miss the pool party, many places have flight options that would get you back in time for a late afternoon round of golf, a bbq, or nice dinner! 3)Celebrate the weekend before/after ! There are no rules on when you can and can't celebrate someone special- Father's Day just serves as a great reminder to do so, regardless of what day you pick.

Question

Can we bring suitcases to the Pool Party or Welcome Party?

Answer

YES! Don't let hotel/Airbnb check in/check out times keep you from joining us. We will have space at The Mazant to keep luggage if you have to bring it with you.